The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-10-27
DOM PEDRO,S DOMAIN.
South Carolina in Brazilian Interesting
Letter from Missionary 1yolling

DOM PEDRO'S DOMAIN.
South Carolinn in Brazilian Interesting
Letter from Missionary 5rolIing.
Correspondence Of The Cbl"m1ia Register.
PIRAcIcAEA, Brazil, Sept 16, 1851
Mr.. Richard Carlton was born in Charles.
ton, S. c., about the beginning of this
century. Ofhis youth I know nothing,
nor is it needful for my present purpose
that l should. In personal appearance
he is q thin, tall man, with firm mouth
and thoughtful countenance. Stiff,
brushy hair, slightly gray, covers his
head and tuft of beard is on his chin.
So looks the man who has an cventful
though unwritten history in his life.
In 1926 and for several years afterward
he lived near the Nations Ford on the
Catawba River, in York County. AT
that time he lived with his uncle, MIR.
John Mills, and not far from Springs
Mills. In those sturdy days of quiet
retired life he worked on the farm, drove
the team, and for while kept store.
Even now he has in his mind vivid pic
ture of how the roads lay, and how the
fences and gates and houses stood, and
though he has never returned since 1927
he speaks with interest of those scenes of
his young manhood.
In the year 1927 he went to what was
then the small town of Winnsboro, TO
learn gin making under James Nc.
Creight, and many are the interesting
things which he can tell Of this worthy,
honest Scotchman. For some time Rich.
ard Carlton rang the bell of the Presby-
terian Church, and from these steady
going Christians learned many lessons of
faith and of duty, which have stood him
in good hand in his wanderings. He
speaks with pleasure of his acquaintance
with James and John Carlisle, and from
one of them he took some homeopathic
medicine, which was in small quantity,
and be is now of the opinion that if it
did him no good it did him no harm.
And that is more than can be said for
some medicine.
That we may come the sooner to speak
of him in Brazil, we must pass over his
life until 1S49 In that year he and 1876
others started in a sailing vessel to go
round the Horn to California. Before
the middle of that year his vessel put
into Rio de Janeiro and he was thus in
Brazil for the first time, and remained
ten days. The vessel passed on round
the Cape, spent ten days at Valparaiso,
and at length entered the Golden Gate.
1t is book of wonders 10 hear him tell
of his experience among the gold dig.
gings Of California. He returned by the
Isthmus of Panama and was gone three
years, lacking ten days. In all this time
his wife had not heard from him, until
the day before he reached home couple
of letters were received. And now for
his coming to Brazil. In 1867, when the
war was over and everything in the
South was growing darker, and to many
hopeless, he and number of others left
their native land to seek home in Bra
zil. They reached this country before
the date of railroads, and on the long
trip inland had some experience of how
slowly things moved where the only con-
veyances were oxcarts of the most primi.
tive style, and pack mules, which never
travel more than twelve miles day. at
length, however, they penetrated to the
interior Of the province of San Paulo and
settled within a few miles of where he
now lives. But they did not find this a
Paradise, and for number of years
pined sorely for the land they had left.
You must understand that this was, and,
indeed, is yet, a slave.owning country.
One consequence is that vast tracts ofthe
country has been cleared of woods, and
the timber does not grow again readily
as in the United States But instead a
heavy grass as tall in many parts as a
mans head on horseback. A certain
kind of this grass called sal'c sappay--.
on account of being 80 durable and
because of the scarcity of boards, is used
| in covering houses. Into house thus
covered Mr.. Carlton and bis family NOV.
ed on reaching Brazil. 1 must further
say that here they have long dry sea.
son, without drop of rain for months
| Under these circumstances you can see
that these grass covered hills would
become very dry and combustible, and
the month of August is the month Of
fires. 1t came to pass that one of these
rolling resistless flames was sweeping
over the country, and as Mr.. Carlton's
| home lay in its track everything he had
was destroyed. But he has recovered
from his misfortune and is nov sur.
rounded with plenty. He has a large
number of horses and mules which are
fat and we'll kept, though he never gath
ers blade of hay or fodder, for the pas
turage is abundant all the year. His
barn is full to the rafters, and they arc
now planting another crop. Fat hogs
and fat cattle stand around or find abun.
dant grazing, while they minister to bis
comfort and wealth. While at bis home
some time ago I saw a beautiful sight
About two hundred canaries had come
down in the yard to eat where the chick
ems had been fed. In the United States
these interesting little birds are bought
at good price and Gagged with care, but
around the Brazilian homes numbers
{. gather and sing or wander away to the
forest at their own sweet will. In 8
house with such surroundings this old
South Carolinian and his excellent wife
from the State Of Alabama, are spending
their closing days and already as Chris:
tians look toward the sunset of life and
think of the bright morning which shall
dawn beyond. Ifit please you and your
readers I might speak of other South
Carolinians with whom am now assOcia.
ted in Brazil.
JT YHnT